Police Chief Ben Fox stepped down this week after an email he allegedly wrote became public.
Chief Ben Fox of the Wyckoff Police Department WYCKOFF - A temporary monitor has been appointed to supervise the Wyckoff Police Department in the absence of Chief Ben Fox, who stepped down this week after an email he allegedly wrote in support of racial profiling became public.
Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal and Wyckoff Mayor Kevin J. Rooney jointly announced the appointment of Captain Timothy Condon of the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office as a temporary monitor, the prosecutor said in a statement.
Fox agreed Tuesday to temporarily step down with pay as the township's top cop as the N.J. Attorney General investigates an ACLU complaint that he condones racial profiling. The chief earns about $175,000 a year.
In a December 2014 email, Fox allegedly directed his officers to watch out for "suspicious black people in white neighborhoods."
In the email to his officers, Fox stated he was concerned that misguided complaints about police would cause cops to react slowly in threatening situations.
"Profiling, racial or otherwise, has its place in law enforcement when used correctly and applied fairly," states the email, which was released Tuesday by the ACLU-NJ.
"Black gang members from Teaneck commit burglaries in Wyckoff," the email states. "That's why we check out suspicious black people in white neighborhoods."
In appointing the monitor, Parenta said Condon has supervised criminal investigation squads within the prosecutor's office and previously served as the monitor of the Hackensack Police Department.
In addition, Mayor Rooney announced that Wyckoff police Lt. Charles VanDyk will serve as the acting officer in charge of the department.
Fox and Rooney have not returned numerous calls to NJ Advance Media seeking comment.
Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.